By Ken D’Angelo, Life Member
Minoa Volunteer Fire Department
This month’s topic is about a rather recent development in the firefighting service in general and the Minoa Volunteer Fire Department in particular.
For the most part of its over 100-year history, Minoa’s fire department was a strictly male organization For several decades, there was a Ladies Auxiliary consisting almost exclusively of wives, daughters and mothers of the male firefighters. These women assisted in fundraising events, had their own uniforms, marched in parades and ran their organization on their own. Many old-time firefighters still remember the ladies contribution to firefighting in a very important and appreciated way.
Sometimes, a response could take hours and hours of commitment on the part of the firefighters. Durations of 12 to 24 hours were, and still are, not uncommon. The firefighters of that era carry to this day a fond memory about sandwiches, soup, chili, hot coffee and cocoa or cold beverages depending on the season provided by these dedicated ladies.
Like just about everything, the fire service has evolved pretty much as has the entire country. When fire departments started to provide ambulance service there were severe demands put on departments to provide personnel to work this new area. In Minoa, this occurred right around the time that women were beginning to question traditional roles and attitudes. Lucky for us they did.
A group of women who were looking for a challenge answered the call and got involved in the Minoa Volunteer Fire Department EMS (Emergency Medical Service).Some were ambulance drivers, some were certified in Advanced First Aid or became EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians). This work gets a person up close and personal with blood, bruises, pain, sickness death, birth, sorrow and joy. It also gives an intense satisfaction in doing a severely difficult job in a totally professional way.
It was from this group that the first female Minoa firefighter emerged.
So now, female firefighters are accepted and face the same challenges as do their male counterparts. You may think this is the case. It’s not exactly so. If you were to talk to a current female firefighter you would hear a different view.
The basic training course is the same for everyone. But there are some not so subtle differences. For example, a trainer might say to male trainees, “OK. Smith, Jones and Kowalski, hit that hydrant like I showed you.” Sometimes it came out, “OK, Smith, Jones, and ‘you little girl’ hit that hydrant like I showed you,” Some male firefighters are reluctant to team up at a job with a female because they doubt that if he gets injured she won’t have the physical strength to get him to safety. The same guy will not think twice about teaming up with a 130-pound flyweight guy to do the same job.
Based on conversations with current female firefighters, they believe that they have to perform at an extraordinary level of excellence just to be considered “good” at their jobs. Evolution is a slow, continuing and inevitable process. The times they are a-changin. Things are different in several ways. Women have assumed leadership positions in many different departments in Minoa and Onondaga County. The selection of a female as chief of a department has happened already in Onondaga County; slowly and incrementally change is happening. Welcome to the party ladies.
Finally, here is a reminder that this week (Oct. 9 to 15) is fire prevention week. The theme this year is as it has been for the past two years and revolves around smoke detectors. If you have a smoke detector this would be a good time to check the batteries. There are few thing as tragic as an injury or a fatality from a fire where there were smoke detectors that had dead batteries.
If you don’t have a smoke detector and reside in the Minoa Volunteer Fire Department district there is a limited supply of smoke detectors available for public distribution. For information you can call 656-9204. If you are protected by another fire department give them a call and see if they also offer this service. If not you may want to call the American Red Cross at 234-2200 and get information about their smoke detector program.
